How to transfer photos from iPhone to Android (and back)
Switching phones, or just sending pictures to a friend on the other platform? iPhone-to-Android is the one combination that AirDrop and Android's Quick Share both refuse to do. Here is the free, full-quality way to move photos in either direction.
Why iPhone and Android don't talk to each other
Apple's AirDrop only works between Apple devices, and Android's Quick Share only works within the Android and Chromebook world. Neither will send to the other, so the exact moment you want to move photos across - a new phone, a partner on the opposite platform, a shared trip album - is the moment both built-in tools go quiet. People fall back on messaging apps, which then squash the photos to a fraction of their quality, or on email, which caps attachments at around 25 MB. On top of that, iPhones save photos as HEIC, a format many Android phones and PCs cannot open.
The fix: a browser transfer that ignores platforms
Because every phone has a web browser, DropAnything uses the browser as neutral ground: it connects the two phones directly and streams the files across at full quality, converting HEIC photos to JPG on the way so they open on Android without any extra app. It works iPhone to Android, Android to iPhone, and phone to phone of any kind.
- On the phone that has the photos, open DropAnything, tap Send, and choose them.
- Tap Create pairing link to get a QR code and a 6-digit code.
- On the other phone, open the same page, choose Receive, and scan the QR (or type the code).
- When the transfer finishes, tap Save photos & videos to gallery. On Android they save to your Gallery or Photos; on iPhone they save to Photos.
Full quality, both directions
The original files are sent untouched, so a 4K video or a high-resolution photo arrives exactly as it was captured - no re-compression, no watermark, no downgrade. iPhone HEIC photos are converted to standard JPG so Android opens them instantly, while videos and other files pass across in their original form.
Moving to a brand-new phone
If you are switching from iPhone to Android (or the reverse) and want to bring your camera roll, send the photos in a few batches rather than all thousands at once - that keeps each transfer quick and avoids a phone running low on memory mid-way. Because nothing is uploaded to a server, you are not waiting on a cloud sync, and there is no link to expire and nothing left behind afterwards.
Troubleshooting
The QR will not scan. Type the 6-digit code instead - open dropanything.xyz on the receiving phone, choose Receive, and enter it.
The connection drops. Keep both phones awake with their DropAnything tab in the foreground; phones pause background tabs, which can interrupt a transfer.
Photos will not appear in the gallery. Use the green save button (which opens the system share sheet) rather than long-pressing images, and choose Save Image / Save to gallery.
Frequently asked questions
Does it really work iPhone to Android?
Yes - in both directions. That is the whole point; it does not depend on AirDrop or Quick Share.
Will Android be able to open my iPhone photos?
Yes. HEIC photos are converted to JPG automatically during the transfer.
Is it free and account-free?
Yes - no cost, no sign-up on either phone, and no size cap.
Are the photos private?
Yes. They transfer directly between the two phones and are never uploaded to a server.
Related: why AirDrop and Quick Share do not cross over, and PC to Android.